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You Died: An Anthology of the Afterlife
Death—the one aspect of life we all have in common—is waiting for everyone, yet our practices, beliefs, myths, and stories about it are as diverse as we are. You Died celebrates these vibrant cultural expressions of the great equalizer in a thrilling, life-affirming whirlwind of a book, an inspirational volume to be treasured through times of both loss and abundance (and every day in between).
At turns both brazen and insightful, morose and optimistic, You Died asks a wide array of cartoonist newbloods and all-stars to relate their most unforgettable tales of death and what comes next. Filled with beautifully illustrated accounts of grief and mourning, ancient myths, memorial rites around the globe, afterlife in the far reaches of space, and the simple and touching ways both the living and the dead carry on, this lively collection starts a comforting and much-needed dialogue about death as a natural part of life.
Featuring an introduction by death positivity movement pioneer and activist mortician Caitlin Doughty and a murderer’s row of comics talent, including Raina Telgemeier, Shae Beagle, and Lisa Sterle.
At turns both brazen and insightful, morose and optimistic, You Died asks a wide array of cartoonist newbloods and all-stars to relate their most unforgettable tales of death and what comes next. Filled with beautifully illustrated accounts of grief and mourning, ancient myths, memorial rites around the globe, afterlife in the far reaches of space, and the simple and touching ways both the living and the dead carry on, this lively collection starts a comforting and much-needed dialogue about death as a natural part of life.
Featuring an introduction by death positivity movement pioneer and activist mortician Caitlin Doughty and a murderer’s row of comics talent, including Raina Telgemeier, Shae Beagle, and Lisa Sterle.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
May 15, 2021
To paraphrase: god, I hope you’re ready for a book about DEATH!
Despite the heavy subject matter, I often found myself smiling and laughing as an assortment of three dozen comic creators walk us through their visions of death and dying, grief and mourning, life and the afterlife in mostly fictional stories.
Standouts include "Inanna's Descent to the Underworld" by Ahueonao, an adaptation of Mesopotamian mythology, and "Funeral in Foam" by Casey Gilly and Raina Telgemeier, a delightfully macabre reminiscence that turns the spreading of cremains into a celebration of life and love. The rest of the stories actually keep to a fairly high standard too, with only one or two clunkers in the bunch.
The diversity of characters and creators seems pretty good, with a lot of female and LGBTQ+ representation.
Despite the heavy subject matter, I often found myself smiling and laughing as an assortment of three dozen comic creators walk us through their visions of death and dying, grief and mourning, life and the afterlife in mostly fictional stories.
Standouts include "Inanna's Descent to the Underworld" by Ahueonao, an adaptation of Mesopotamian mythology, and "Funeral in Foam" by Casey Gilly and Raina Telgemeier, a delightfully macabre reminiscence that turns the spreading of cremains into a celebration of life and love. The rest of the stories actually keep to a fairly high standard too, with only one or two clunkers in the bunch.
The diversity of characters and creators seems pretty good, with a lot of female and LGBTQ+ representation.
April 27, 2020
An anthology with some excellent entries (and a couple of not-so-great stories..), which as a whole is always interesting and confrontational.
So, the book is a collection of comics about death, dying and what might happen afterwards.
Quite a lot of entries focus on the moment just after dying, where the deceased has to come to terms with dying and make some sort of choice regarding the afterlife, those tend to be the lesser interesting approaches to me (that said, there are one or two stories that play with this setup in a fun way).
There are a couple of stories that reach into your chest and squeeze your heart to pulp (in a good way!). Sure, not all the stories work, not all the art is top-notch (although some of it is!), it's a bit of a mixed bag, but the collection as a whole is always interesting because it openly talks about death, something we (in the West, at least) tend to avoid. There is something refreshingly confrontational about this, and when a story clicks with your personal history, it's sort of magical.
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
So, the book is a collection of comics about death, dying and what might happen afterwards.
Quite a lot of entries focus on the moment just after dying, where the deceased has to come to terms with dying and make some sort of choice regarding the afterlife, those tend to be the lesser interesting approaches to me (that said, there are one or two stories that play with this setup in a fun way).
There are a couple of stories that reach into your chest and squeeze your heart to pulp (in a good way!). Sure, not all the stories work, not all the art is top-notch (although some of it is!), it's a bit of a mixed bag, but the collection as a whole is always interesting because it openly talks about death, something we (in the West, at least) tend to avoid. There is something refreshingly confrontational about this, and when a story clicks with your personal history, it's sort of magical.
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
June 20, 2023
Love a book about death, and really cool to get to read about it in all kinds of different stories and with different kinds of art. Bonus points for glow-in-the-dark cover.
Read
April 29, 2020This was a pretty mixed bag up to the point in the collection I reached — some really boring and mediocre comics, some cute ones. Sadly, though, I got to a story that was way too upsetting for me to continue and realized I had no interest in reading this. I'd recommend it to someone who's more "death-positive" than I am, but I'm just... not. And this wasn't a good thing for me to pick up. So, I'm gonna go hug my kid and cry a little. 😞
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 20, 2024
Unfortunately kind of disappointing. Short story collections are always a mixed bag, but I expected something more from this; probably because of Caitlin Doughty's involvement. She has a very specific brand of 'dark-but-also-funny' in her writing that I really like, and I was subconsciously expecting a similar vibe in the stories that I didn't really get.
The categories are:
Made me cry so had to be the top tier: What Eats Us, Remember, Herd, Still Life
Really liked them: Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld, The Spark Divine, Agnes and Patsy, You Called To Me
Cute but forgettable: Ghost Friend, All Souls Day, The Last Wreath, Okaeri, Funeral in Foam, Hive Mind, Bone Ink
Manga/ manhwa fan baby’s first comic: Here Among The Chrysanthemums, Third Option
Boring: First Law, Ankou, I Promise
Childish: Beyond the Cosmos, Many Happy Returns
Glorified Wikipedia entry: Peat Bone Oak, Good Mourning
The categories are:
Made me cry so had to be the top tier: What Eats Us, Remember, Herd, Still Life
Really liked them: Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld, The Spark Divine, Agnes and Patsy, You Called To Me
Cute but forgettable: Ghost Friend, All Souls Day, The Last Wreath, Okaeri, Funeral in Foam, Hive Mind, Bone Ink
Manga/ manhwa fan baby’s first comic: Here Among The Chrysanthemums, Third Option
Boring: First Law, Ankou, I Promise
Childish: Beyond the Cosmos, Many Happy Returns
Glorified Wikipedia entry: Peat Bone Oak, Good Mourning
April 24, 2020
Making peace with our mortality is a difficult thing to do and most of us do not even want to think about it.
When we start talking about death and do it often, we usually get labeled as suicidal or a psychopath, though it is the most important problem we have: Slowly but steadily dying. Yet we distance ourselves from this bleak idea and when we start to think or talk of death seriously, our survival instincts kick in and we just push it to the deepest parts of our subconscious. And this comic book brings out our worst fear, puts it right in front of us to deal with it causally, I really liked the idea.
However, it was a bit difficult for me to read this because of the genre, I am not really much of a comic book person, but the content was mostly intriguing and it kept me going until the end.
The drawings in the book are a bit creepy of course, considering that they are depictions of death, afterlife, sad farewells and unresolved issues but they were of good quality. Overall an intriguingly grotesque, abstract and unfamiliar reading experience for me but I enjoyed it for the most part. It can definitely help you get past the fear of the unknown and help you make peace with it:
“Death is a change where the result is an unknown but inevitable variable.
When I get overwhelmed by the weight of that,
I look at the stars, who use all their energy to keep shining despite being surrounded by the void of the unknown and inevitable.”
(I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)
When we start talking about death and do it often, we usually get labeled as suicidal or a psychopath, though it is the most important problem we have: Slowly but steadily dying. Yet we distance ourselves from this bleak idea and when we start to think or talk of death seriously, our survival instincts kick in and we just push it to the deepest parts of our subconscious. And this comic book brings out our worst fear, puts it right in front of us to deal with it causally, I really liked the idea.
However, it was a bit difficult for me to read this because of the genre, I am not really much of a comic book person, but the content was mostly intriguing and it kept me going until the end.
The drawings in the book are a bit creepy of course, considering that they are depictions of death, afterlife, sad farewells and unresolved issues but they were of good quality. Overall an intriguingly grotesque, abstract and unfamiliar reading experience for me but I enjoyed it for the most part. It can definitely help you get past the fear of the unknown and help you make peace with it:
“Death is a change where the result is an unknown but inevitable variable.
When I get overwhelmed by the weight of that,
I look at the stars, who use all their energy to keep shining despite being surrounded by the void of the unknown and inevitable.”
(I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.)
January 22, 2022
You Died is an excellent anthology about death, dying and what may or may not happen after death. It consists of several graphic novel stories by different artists.
As a whole, I think this collection had a lot to offer. Some stories had stunning artwork, others had a beautiful storyline, and a lot of them had both. Although death is usually a rather heavy subject matter, this book talked about it in a special way that embraces death as a part of life. It created opportunities for an open dialogue about death without invalidating the hurt and grief that comes with it. Some stories even made me laugh; one story almost made me cry because the situation was similar to one I have personally gone through.
I think many of the stories were quite unique. Some of them feature different views on death and traditions around it from all over the world. I'd have to say my favourite stories were Here among the Chrysanthemums, Many Happy Returns and Still Life.
I'd like to thank Iron Circus Comics for providing this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
As a whole, I think this collection had a lot to offer. Some stories had stunning artwork, others had a beautiful storyline, and a lot of them had both. Although death is usually a rather heavy subject matter, this book talked about it in a special way that embraces death as a part of life. It created opportunities for an open dialogue about death without invalidating the hurt and grief that comes with it. Some stories even made me laugh; one story almost made me cry because the situation was similar to one I have personally gone through.
I think many of the stories were quite unique. Some of them feature different views on death and traditions around it from all over the world. I'd have to say my favourite stories were Here among the Chrysanthemums, Many Happy Returns and Still Life.
I'd like to thank Iron Circus Comics for providing this copy via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
May 22, 2021
These thoughts will also be shared on my Youtube channel! Subscribe to my channel!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read the e-ARC of this book. This does not, in any way, affect my thoughts and opinions about the book.
"But as profound and universal the first law may be, Death is still a change, Where the result is an unknown but inevitable variable. And when I get overwhelmed by the weight of that, I look at the stars, who use all their energy to keep shining, despite being surrounded by the void of the unknown and inevitable."
You Died is part of this death positivity movement that helps mourning people have an open dialogue and outlook towards death and the afterlife.
This is an amazing collection that portrays death as not a fully negative thing that happens in our lives. While the goal of the creators of this anthology was to shed a different light on the perception of death, it doesn't invalidate the pain and heartache it brings. This anthology just shows how death is a natural part of life and isn't something that should always be feared.
Another favorite part is the myths, folktales, cultural expressions, and traditions highlighted. One that stood out to me was, of course, the one about the Philippines where every year, during All Souls' Day, families would gather around their loved one's grave and commemorate that person's life by sharing stories over scrumptious food!
The art styles per story were also unique, strong, and amazing in their own ways. Partnered with poetic and lyrical stories made for a great reading experience!
Trigger/Content Warnings: death, death of a loved one
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a chance to read the e-ARC of this book. This does not, in any way, affect my thoughts and opinions about the book.
"But as profound and universal the first law may be, Death is still a change, Where the result is an unknown but inevitable variable. And when I get overwhelmed by the weight of that, I look at the stars, who use all their energy to keep shining, despite being surrounded by the void of the unknown and inevitable."
You Died is part of this death positivity movement that helps mourning people have an open dialogue and outlook towards death and the afterlife.
This is an amazing collection that portrays death as not a fully negative thing that happens in our lives. While the goal of the creators of this anthology was to shed a different light on the perception of death, it doesn't invalidate the pain and heartache it brings. This anthology just shows how death is a natural part of life and isn't something that should always be feared.
Another favorite part is the myths, folktales, cultural expressions, and traditions highlighted. One that stood out to me was, of course, the one about the Philippines where every year, during All Souls' Day, families would gather around their loved one's grave and commemorate that person's life by sharing stories over scrumptious food!
The art styles per story were also unique, strong, and amazing in their own ways. Partnered with poetic and lyrical stories made for a great reading experience!
Trigger/Content Warnings: death, death of a loved one
July 29, 2025
You Died covers death, grieving, love, the afterlife, and more. Some creative teams employ fantastical elements or mythology, but all stories tackle the reality that we’re all human and one day that means we’ll die, and so will our loved ones. The art is all in black and white to match the theme. I’m not sure that always worked for me.
My favorites:
“What Eats Us” by Letty Wilson — Beautiful, intricate art about a rodent’s death and the cycle of life from nature’s point-of-view.
“Remember” by SE Case — A young mother is dying, and she must learn how to leave her wife and small child behind. I loved the twist on who our most precious memories are for.
“Herd” by Shae Beagle — Bambi was always too sad, and I liked this as a fantastical and more realistic remedy. The ending page art is stunning.
“Agnes and Patsy” by Holly Adkins — Our current “AI” pushing environment made me very skeptical about Adkins' take on one last goodbye with your passed loved one, but by the end, I was sold. (This anthology was published in 2020.) In this world, the recently passed create a robot with the loved one’s memories and of their likeness, and those loved ones spend a short time with the robot until it is essentially buried with the loved one. With Patsy’s memorybot, Agnes is allowed a bittersweet reprieve from her sorrow. One thing I really liked was that Agnes and the bot go through Patsy’s things and having dealt with some of my family’s things before and after their passings, I liked this shift of when and how to do this.
“Here Among the Chrysanthemums” by Luyi Bennett — This could’ve been incredibly heavy-handed in its contrast of life and death. However, Bennett has such a light touch from the art to the character’s dialogue and unsaid words. Perfect.
“Third Option” by A. “Miru” Lee — Sometimes, the angel and the devil are wrong.
“Funeral in Foam” by Casey Gilly and Raina Telgemeier — This was hilarious, and something that you aren’t supposed to ever do. But wonderful and the perfect bit of dark humor. I also appreciated the story’s framing as a family tale.
“You Called To Me” by Nadia Shammas and Lisa Sterle — This one made me cry.
“I Promise” by A. Shinozaki and Cheryl Young — I spent a lot of time with older relatives when I was younger, and this captured a very specific feeling of knowing your loved ones, but never knowing them. The story also adds a diaspora complication to that.
My favorites:
“What Eats Us” by Letty Wilson — Beautiful, intricate art about a rodent’s death and the cycle of life from nature’s point-of-view.
“Remember” by SE Case — A young mother is dying, and she must learn how to leave her wife and small child behind. I loved the twist on who our most precious memories are for.
“Herd” by Shae Beagle — Bambi was always too sad, and I liked this as a fantastical and more realistic remedy. The ending page art is stunning.
“Agnes and Patsy” by Holly Adkins — Our current “AI” pushing environment made me very skeptical about Adkins' take on one last goodbye with your passed loved one, but by the end, I was sold. (This anthology was published in 2020.) In this world, the recently passed create a robot with the loved one’s memories and of their likeness, and those loved ones spend a short time with the robot until it is essentially buried with the loved one. With Patsy’s memorybot, Agnes is allowed a bittersweet reprieve from her sorrow. One thing I really liked was that Agnes and the bot go through Patsy’s things and having dealt with some of my family’s things before and after their passings, I liked this shift of when and how to do this.
“Here Among the Chrysanthemums” by Luyi Bennett — This could’ve been incredibly heavy-handed in its contrast of life and death. However, Bennett has such a light touch from the art to the character’s dialogue and unsaid words. Perfect.
“Third Option” by A. “Miru” Lee — Sometimes, the angel and the devil are wrong.
“Funeral in Foam” by Casey Gilly and Raina Telgemeier — This was hilarious, and something that you aren’t supposed to ever do. But wonderful and the perfect bit of dark humor. I also appreciated the story’s framing as a family tale.
“You Called To Me” by Nadia Shammas and Lisa Sterle — This one made me cry.
“I Promise” by A. Shinozaki and Cheryl Young — I spent a lot of time with older relatives when I was younger, and this captured a very specific feeling of knowing your loved ones, but never knowing them. The story also adds a diaspora complication to that.
July 28, 2021
Bittersweet anthology. Happy I backed this on Kickstarter.
March 29, 2021
I keep hearing Nellie McKay's voice singing the title, a la her song "Ding Dong."
Anyway, as with any anthology with multiple contributors, YOU DIED varies widely in tone and style. These comics, which all have a focus on death and/or various cultures' ideas of an afterlife, range from educational, to sad, to silly--so if you don't like the tone taken with one, you're likely to find another that's more your style.
Anyway, as with any anthology with multiple contributors, YOU DIED varies widely in tone and style. These comics, which all have a focus on death and/or various cultures' ideas of an afterlife, range from educational, to sad, to silly--so if you don't like the tone taken with one, you're likely to find another that's more your style.
May 27, 2021
This book is a collection of stories about death. How one may experience it as the dying person, how the people left behind experience it, the different beliefs surrounding it and different thoughts each person may have in regards to it. The stories take place within various periods of time, with some being set in the past, some being contemporary and some having a sci-fi touch to them.
First of all, I love how inclusive and diverse it was. The stories featured protagonists of different ethnicities, different social backgrounds and different sexualities. This is true when it comes to the creators as well.
I also loved how vastly different each story was from each other and how unique each artistic style was. And I also liked how vulnerable the protagonists of every story are, which is fitting, when you think about the book's topic.
And yeah, I know some stories were not realistic at all or as realistic as others. You probably don't use an ouija board to communicate with your deceased loved ones (or maybe you do, who am I to tell you what to do) but that doesn't take away anything from the beauty of the stories or from the messages they intented to put out. Even if you are like me, and don't believe in any form of the afterlife, in my opinion you will enjoy the more allegorical stories as much as the more realistic ones.
Needless to mention that some of the stories hit quite hard, and gave me chills or straight up had me trying to hold back my tears.
My only complain is that one of the stories near the ending, was half made using pencil, the designs had very thin lines and the words were barely visible and readable. I don't know if that was an artistic choice or there was some kind of mix up while putting this together.
But other than that, I really enjoyed this. I totally recommend it to people who like graphic novels and would like to try something softer and more emotional.
If you made it so far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)
I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, I love how inclusive and diverse it was. The stories featured protagonists of different ethnicities, different social backgrounds and different sexualities. This is true when it comes to the creators as well.
I also loved how vastly different each story was from each other and how unique each artistic style was. And I also liked how vulnerable the protagonists of every story are, which is fitting, when you think about the book's topic.
And yeah, I know some stories were not realistic at all or as realistic as others. You probably don't use an ouija board to communicate with your deceased loved ones (or maybe you do, who am I to tell you what to do) but that doesn't take away anything from the beauty of the stories or from the messages they intented to put out. Even if you are like me, and don't believe in any form of the afterlife, in my opinion you will enjoy the more allegorical stories as much as the more realistic ones.
Needless to mention that some of the stories hit quite hard, and gave me chills or straight up had me trying to hold back my tears.
My only complain is that one of the stories near the ending, was half made using pencil, the designs had very thin lines and the words were barely visible and readable. I don't know if that was an artistic choice or there was some kind of mix up while putting this together.
But other than that, I really enjoyed this. I totally recommend it to people who like graphic novels and would like to try something softer and more emotional.
If you made it so far, congratulations!
'Til next time, take care :) :) :)
I received a free e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2021
I had something of the same experience reading this book as I did reading Atul Gawande's "Being Mortal": we don't talk enough about death. About coming to terms with the fact that we are all mortal, about cherishing life, and helping our loved ones understand how we wan to die. Gawande's book was much more shaded to dealing with the medical system, while these comics are much more personal. The ones that were less impactful dealt with the realization of the newly dead that they were in fact dead. A few were moving, but most imposed a spirituality that I don't necessarily believe and therefore their attempted comfort was misplaced. But the stories about the dying and those who survived were great and moving and left me thinking about the conversations I need to have more of with my mom, friends, wife, and kids.
**Thanks to the artists, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for a honest review.
**Thanks to the artists, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for a honest review.
January 3, 2022
*Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for review*
There's quite a variety of stories in here, in tone, subject matter, and style, which is nice. But most of them are so short there really isn't time to develop any emotional connection, and some ("What Eats Us") are just facts being presented to the reader. Not bad, and engaging in some parts, but not something that has a huge audience. I did find some typos and a few mistakes.
Individual story thoughts under spoilers:
There's so many stories that, at a certain point, themes overlap, and it gets fatiguing. Maybe less stories with more length would have made this a better collection. 2 star average.
This may draw me some ire, and that's OK. Maybe I deserve it. I am not complaining at all, but I do find it interesting that there is no straight couple depicted (on page - the dead husbands don't count). I'm glad so many different types of love and family are depicted, but it's an interesting omission.
There's quite a variety of stories in here, in tone, subject matter, and style, which is nice. But most of them are so short there really isn't time to develop any emotional connection, and some ("What Eats Us") are just facts being presented to the reader. Not bad, and engaging in some parts, but not something that has a huge audience. I did find some typos and a few mistakes.
Individual story thoughts under spoilers:
There's so many stories that, at a certain point, themes overlap, and it gets fatiguing. Maybe less stories with more length would have made this a better collection. 2 star average.
This may draw me some ire, and that's OK. Maybe I deserve it. I am not complaining at all, but I do find it interesting that there is no straight couple depicted (on page - the dead husbands don't count). I'm glad so many different types of love and family are depicted, but it's an interesting omission.
February 9, 2021
Received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
All the stories were unique in their ways of conceptualizing death and finding our own kinds of closure. The artwork was stunning, all of them fit within their narratives and nothing felt off. Not every story hit the mark for me, but enough of them did for me to highly recommend this, especially to those who are grieving.
If you'd like to see a short description & review of each story here it is:
"What Eats Us" by Letty Wilson
A squirrel learns how nature takes its course. Really like the art style here!
"Ghost Friend" by Oliver Northwood
This story made me tear up. :( It's beautiful though! The art style worked very well and the story was bittersweet.
"Inanna's Descent To The Underworld" by Ahueonao
A sort of story about unique gods and goddesses and a sister helping her sister mourn a beloved's death. The scenery and style lent itself well to the story, very visually appealing! Also has great funny lines here and there. Kind of confusing story but entertaining anyway.
"Bone, Oak" by Laura Ketchum
A sort of historical look into "bog people" aka people who have been perfectly preserved by the earth. It's both fascinating and sad, but more from an analysis point of view. We all die, but we are preserved by those interested to learn about death or our lives.
"Remember" by SE Case
This story was about a mother trying to stay alive for the sake of her family and a hallucination appears to convince her to die once and for all. The art is a bit off putting and the one character's constant smiling was really creepy, ha. A reflective and compelling story, though the art style wasn't for me.
"Mourning" by Karoline Gronvik
A short comic about the history of 'mourning' in the 1800s, especially amongst women. I had no idea there was this much effort into societal expectations on how to properly mourn people...a fascinating comic with a great sketchy style!
"Beyond the Cosmos" by James Maddox & Jeremy Lawson
A short story about astronauts dying in space. This felt pretty out of place with all the other darker stories since it's far more lighthearted in tone and art style. Not bad though.
"All Souls' Day" by Danielle Chuatico
A short story about how Filipino culture handles death. Really cute art style and informative look into another culture!
"The Spark Divine" by Sally Cantirino and Jordan Alsaqa
A sci-fi story about a dude surviving in space for decades. I was genuinely surprised by this one, it was rather fascinating. Great style and interesting story angle.
"Herd" by Shae Beagle
Beautiful art style and shading this one blew me out of the water! I wish this was the canon ending for Bambi.
"First Law" by M.Cat.White
An odd one, but works well. A sort of combination of death and science but in a nostalgic kind of way, almost.
Agnes & Patsy by Holly Adkins
The style is very unique and works well for this story. It's about a woman mourning the loss of her wife, but since this has sci-fi elements, the wife is...'replaced' by an AI robot impersonating her. Freaky! It ends up becoming really heartwarming and bittersweet.
"Here among the Chrysanthemums" by Luyi Bennett
A heartwarming story about a mother and a daughter, the mother dispels some wisdom. The art was a bit flat compared to the other stories, but it fit well for the tone of this one.
"The Last Wreath" by Julette GMM Lopez
Absolutely stunning art, this one was my favorite! The Grim Reaper consoles a deceased soul. It's beautifully told.
Okaeri by Jackie Crofts & James F. Wright
A bittersweet story about handling loss. The art style was really loose which I loved.
"Still Life" by Ale Green & Fanny Rodriguez
Parents struggle to deal with the loss of their daughter. So tragic...but the art style is incredible. This story also made me cry :(
"Many Happy Returns" by Rhandi Fisher
A fun comic about reincarnation, very entertaining and cool art style that works for this more comedic story.
"Third Option" by A. "Miru" Lee
Person dies and meets an angel and a reaper with two options after death. The art style utilizes a lot of Japanese manga quirks which makes the story endearing. The angel and reaper bickering dialogue was pretty funny.
Funeral In Foam by Casey Gilly
A comedic yet sad story of a family spreading their father’s ashes at his favorite place, an amusement park. The art style works well and dialogue felt natural. “It’s what he wanted!”
Ankou by Isabelle Melancon
NOTE: This is when the ARC copy became very rough-drafty so forgive me if I misunderstood or things have changed in the final copy.
The art style was beautiful. Really loved the use of lines to convey emotion. Can’t say too much about the dialogue because it wasn’t completed yet.
“You Called To Me” by Nadia Shammas
A woman deals with the loss of her significant other. A very heartbreaking story, especially with how the bird mimics the deceased. The art style is full of despair yet hope.
“I Promise” by A. Shinozaki & Cheryl Young
A grandmother explains how she wants her ashes handled in the event of her death. Her family is split between Japan and America, so they have to figure out how to send the ashes to Japan. This story felt a bit too fast to follow, but seeing how another culture handles death was interesting.
“Hive Mind” by Dani Colman & Maddie Kathleen
A short story about robots dealing with the loss of their creator. Sad, but cute. I liked how simplistic the story was, it was still effective in its emotional beats.
“Bone Ink” by Grace F. Fong & Rhiannon Rasmussen
A beautiful story about a woman dealing with the loss of her mother in her own way. I love the concept with the tattoos, it helps add even more meaning to tattoos.
All the stories were unique in their ways of conceptualizing death and finding our own kinds of closure. The artwork was stunning, all of them fit within their narratives and nothing felt off. Not every story hit the mark for me, but enough of them did for me to highly recommend this, especially to those who are grieving.
If you'd like to see a short description & review of each story here it is:
"What Eats Us" by Letty Wilson
A squirrel learns how nature takes its course. Really like the art style here!
"Ghost Friend" by Oliver Northwood
This story made me tear up. :( It's beautiful though! The art style worked very well and the story was bittersweet.
"Inanna's Descent To The Underworld" by Ahueonao
A sort of story about unique gods and goddesses and a sister helping her sister mourn a beloved's death. The scenery and style lent itself well to the story, very visually appealing! Also has great funny lines here and there. Kind of confusing story but entertaining anyway.
"Bone, Oak" by Laura Ketchum
A sort of historical look into "bog people" aka people who have been perfectly preserved by the earth. It's both fascinating and sad, but more from an analysis point of view. We all die, but we are preserved by those interested to learn about death or our lives.
"Remember" by SE Case
This story was about a mother trying to stay alive for the sake of her family and a hallucination appears to convince her to die once and for all. The art is a bit off putting and the one character's constant smiling was really creepy, ha. A reflective and compelling story, though the art style wasn't for me.
"Mourning" by Karoline Gronvik
A short comic about the history of 'mourning' in the 1800s, especially amongst women. I had no idea there was this much effort into societal expectations on how to properly mourn people...a fascinating comic with a great sketchy style!
"Beyond the Cosmos" by James Maddox & Jeremy Lawson
A short story about astronauts dying in space. This felt pretty out of place with all the other darker stories since it's far more lighthearted in tone and art style. Not bad though.
"All Souls' Day" by Danielle Chuatico
A short story about how Filipino culture handles death. Really cute art style and informative look into another culture!
"The Spark Divine" by Sally Cantirino and Jordan Alsaqa
A sci-fi story about a dude surviving in space for decades. I was genuinely surprised by this one, it was rather fascinating. Great style and interesting story angle.
"Herd" by Shae Beagle
Beautiful art style and shading this one blew me out of the water! I wish this was the canon ending for Bambi.
"First Law" by M.Cat.White
An odd one, but works well. A sort of combination of death and science but in a nostalgic kind of way, almost.
Agnes & Patsy by Holly Adkins
The style is very unique and works well for this story. It's about a woman mourning the loss of her wife, but since this has sci-fi elements, the wife is...'replaced' by an AI robot impersonating her. Freaky! It ends up becoming really heartwarming and bittersweet.
"Here among the Chrysanthemums" by Luyi Bennett
A heartwarming story about a mother and a daughter, the mother dispels some wisdom. The art was a bit flat compared to the other stories, but it fit well for the tone of this one.
"The Last Wreath" by Julette GMM Lopez
Absolutely stunning art, this one was my favorite! The Grim Reaper consoles a deceased soul. It's beautifully told.
Okaeri by Jackie Crofts & James F. Wright
A bittersweet story about handling loss. The art style was really loose which I loved.
"Still Life" by Ale Green & Fanny Rodriguez
Parents struggle to deal with the loss of their daughter. So tragic...but the art style is incredible. This story also made me cry :(
"Many Happy Returns" by Rhandi Fisher
A fun comic about reincarnation, very entertaining and cool art style that works for this more comedic story.
"Third Option" by A. "Miru" Lee
Person dies and meets an angel and a reaper with two options after death. The art style utilizes a lot of Japanese manga quirks which makes the story endearing. The angel and reaper bickering dialogue was pretty funny.
Funeral In Foam by Casey Gilly
A comedic yet sad story of a family spreading their father’s ashes at his favorite place, an amusement park. The art style works well and dialogue felt natural. “It’s what he wanted!”
Ankou by Isabelle Melancon
NOTE: This is when the ARC copy became very rough-drafty so forgive me if I misunderstood or things have changed in the final copy.
The art style was beautiful. Really loved the use of lines to convey emotion. Can’t say too much about the dialogue because it wasn’t completed yet.
“You Called To Me” by Nadia Shammas
A woman deals with the loss of her significant other. A very heartbreaking story, especially with how the bird mimics the deceased. The art style is full of despair yet hope.
“I Promise” by A. Shinozaki & Cheryl Young
A grandmother explains how she wants her ashes handled in the event of her death. Her family is split between Japan and America, so they have to figure out how to send the ashes to Japan. This story felt a bit too fast to follow, but seeing how another culture handles death was interesting.
“Hive Mind” by Dani Colman & Maddie Kathleen
A short story about robots dealing with the loss of their creator. Sad, but cute. I liked how simplistic the story was, it was still effective in its emotional beats.
“Bone Ink” by Grace F. Fong & Rhiannon Rasmussen
A beautiful story about a woman dealing with the loss of her mother in her own way. I love the concept with the tattoos, it helps add even more meaning to tattoos.
March 9, 2021
I tend to love any anthology that Iron Circus puts together, and while I can't say that an anthology about death was fun to read, I will say that bits of it were quite intriguing, and sometimes even funny, such as the one illustrated by Raina Telgemeier.
The stories are about how the relatives react to death, how the dead react to death, and death itself. There is one which plays on the story of Persephone, but from an older civilization.
Probably not the best to read when you are near by death, but that is about the only trigger warning I can give. Other than that, the stories were the kind that got you thinking. Several were about memories.
If you are in the right mood, this can be quite enjoyable.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
The stories are about how the relatives react to death, how the dead react to death, and death itself. There is one which plays on the story of Persephone, but from an older civilization.
Probably not the best to read when you are near by death, but that is about the only trigger warning I can give. Other than that, the stories were the kind that got you thinking. Several were about memories.
If you are in the right mood, this can be quite enjoyable.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
June 4, 2021
This is a series of short stories in graphic novel format about death and the afterlife. Some of the stories are funny and some are not. There is a bit of everything in here. The cover will grab someone's attention, but I might have rearranged the stories a bit and put a better one up front. One of my favorites is about the gods and the underworld.
August 1, 2022
One of the best pieces of advice I got after the death of my father was to not let anyone tell me how to grieve. We all handle death in different ways, based on our experiences and beliefs. I love how all the artists represent it in their own way, through the eyes of others and through the one who died.
October 12, 2022
Good Morning from me & this death anthology 💀❤️.
I picked up YOU DIED: AN ANTHOLOGY OF THE AFTERLIFE because of @queerthology , and I'm so glad I did. I haven't read many comic anthologies, but every time I do I find them so satisfying. The only thing better than getting to read new authors in varying genres is also getting to experience multiple art styles within one book as well.
My favorites were (with absolute favorites *):
*Ghost Friend by Oliver Northwood
Inanna's Descent To the Underworld by Ahueonao
Remember by SE Case
Herd by Shae Beagle
Okaeri by Jackie Crofts & James F. Wright
*Funeral in Foam by Casey Gilly, Raina Telgemeir & Jen Hickman
Highly recommend this one if you're in the emotional/mental head space to be able to think about death - both your own and the death of those you love. I'm 34 and have already lost my father, two grandparents, and a good friend, and I'll admit that with each death I seek more books like this out. It helps me process grief, but it obviously might not help you, so read with care.
I picked up YOU DIED: AN ANTHOLOGY OF THE AFTERLIFE because of @queerthology , and I'm so glad I did. I haven't read many comic anthologies, but every time I do I find them so satisfying. The only thing better than getting to read new authors in varying genres is also getting to experience multiple art styles within one book as well.
My favorites were (with absolute favorites *):
*Ghost Friend by Oliver Northwood
Inanna's Descent To the Underworld by Ahueonao
Remember by SE Case
Herd by Shae Beagle
Okaeri by Jackie Crofts & James F. Wright
*Funeral in Foam by Casey Gilly, Raina Telgemeir & Jen Hickman
Highly recommend this one if you're in the emotional/mental head space to be able to think about death - both your own and the death of those you love. I'm 34 and have already lost my father, two grandparents, and a good friend, and I'll admit that with each death I seek more books like this out. It helps me process grief, but it obviously might not help you, so read with care.
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December 7, 2021An anthology of comic shorts, both fictional and factual, about death. Most stories focus on the period right after someone dies. Some stories are sad, some funny, some quirky. All approach death as something entirely normal. Being an anthology, the quality varies, and I’m sorry to say that most of the stories are just okay. I doubt I’ll remember them in a month. Still, I appreciate that this book exists for its honesty and openness about death. The art is mostly solid.
Caitlin Doughty writes the foreword, and I highly recommend her books Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and From Here to Eternity. Like this anthology, her books discuss death in a refreshingly frank and open way.
Caitlin Doughty writes the foreword, and I highly recommend her books Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and From Here to Eternity. Like this anthology, her books discuss death in a refreshingly frank and open way.
September 8, 2021
You Died - An Anthology of Afterlife by Andrea Purcell & Kel McDonald is a nice collection of stories on a vey different subject, Death. I liked some of the stories from the book. My favorites are Innana's Descent Into The Underworld by Ahueonao and What Eats Us by Letty Wilson. The stories have optimism, faith, fear of loss and grief. But, I could not connect to some of them. The authors have a beautiful message for the readers that Live Your Life To Full Before Death Comes.
But, I felt that some stories were incomplete. So, I could only give it 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an opportunity to read the book.
Read full review on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
But, I felt that some stories were incomplete. So, I could only give it 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me an opportunity to read the book.
Read full review on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
December 18, 2020
This was an interesting book, but not one I really enjoyed reading. I think though that it just wasn't a good fit for me personally. This is basically a collection of short stories by multiple authors, but in graphic novel form. The different stories varied in genre and length. Some were fantasy and long, other short and had LGBTQ+ characters. All in all a very unique book, but I personally can only read so many stories about death before I get depressed.
April 10, 2021
Overall, You Died: An Anthology of the Afterlife is a really interesting and clever collection of tales. Young Adult and Adult readers alike will be fascinated by the stories in this collection; however, it could also bring comfort to people who are dealing with the death of a loved one or, perhaps, who are dying themselves. This is a very powerful collection that aims right for the heart, and is strongly recommended.
Full review here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Full review here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
July 12, 2024
FANTASTIC
what a way to show death in all its forms in all the beliefs of afterlife.
each entry was a glimpse into someone’s mind. a beautiful and unique mind that gives us some peace about death… or acceptance.
Caitlyn Doughty, who did the foreword is a fantastic advocate for different ways of death and to accept death back into our lives (for reals check out her YT) and i think nobody better could add to this
what a way to show death in all its forms in all the beliefs of afterlife.
each entry was a glimpse into someone’s mind. a beautiful and unique mind that gives us some peace about death… or acceptance.
Caitlyn Doughty, who did the foreword is a fantastic advocate for different ways of death and to accept death back into our lives (for reals check out her YT) and i think nobody better could add to this
August 4, 2024
3.75 stars. As I always state when reading an anthology, it goes without saying that not all of them will hit like others do and this book continues to hold true to that. With that being said, there were only a couple stories I didn’t care for in this one and almost all of them brought me some kind of emotion and thought, even beyond just the depressing nature comics like this you would assume to bring.
November 10, 2021
Yes, this is a book about death and the afterlife but I was expecting quirky, fun stories, and maybe a little sad but this level of trauma was completely uncalled for. I got a little teary over the dead rat in the first story. By the time I hit the deer story half way through I was balling my eyes out and I proceeded to cry through the rest of the book. This was a 5 tissue weeper. There is such a wide variety of stories that at least one is bound to rip out your heart. If you are looking for some cathartic crying I'm sure you will find your trigger in this collection. Maybe don't read it at work though. Lol!
December 18, 2023
~gets to pick own reading material again & immediately selects book on grief~
this is a great death positive graphic anthology that is gentle, painful, & funny. a lot of variety in genre, format, & art. bonus for the queer content & lots of cultural representation. recommend if you have the headspace!
this is a great death positive graphic anthology that is gentle, painful, & funny. a lot of variety in genre, format, & art. bonus for the queer content & lots of cultural representation. recommend if you have the headspace!
April 16, 2025
Did it take my almost a year to finish this? Yes, but not bc the book isn't good, the opposite. I really enjoyed reading everyone of these. There are so much pain, grief but also so much love and peace. The queerness is beautiful.
I wanna read it over and over, since it helps with so many of my thoughts about death and grief. I lent it at the library but might end up buying it.
The ones that hit me extra hard where "the herd", "the last wreath" and "you called to me".
I wanna read it over and over, since it helps with so many of my thoughts about death and grief. I lent it at the library but might end up buying it.
The ones that hit me extra hard where "the herd", "the last wreath" and "you called to me".
December 1, 2020
I'm someone who will cry at the simplest thing so I should've expected that with an comic anthology about death.
July 4, 2021
this made me cry so much 10/10
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